Recently found one of MY ALL TIME FAVORITE Oz Adaptations from my childhood, Legends of Oz: the Wicked West by Tom Hutchison at Big Dog Ink
The basic premise is sort of a What If…? AU set in the “Wild Wicked West” more so taking influences from the ‘39 film with some elements from Baum’s world that become a lot stronger as the series moves on past the traditional story.
The art is absolutely stunning, most of the pictures are taken from Volume I of the collected edition, which covers issues 1-5. I also have up to Issue 18 so maybe if this post does well I’ll post more? I’m in love with several of the reinterpretations of characters that honestly still remain very faithful to their core elements, Dorothy is a young woman having spent three years with her horse Toto trying to find the Yellow Brick Road (which has been picked apart by the Winged Monkeys), the Tin Man is someone who requires a little more heart than he currently has to be a lawman ( feels a lot like the “Rooster Cogburn” role from True Grit at times) the Scarecrow is a Native American puppet girl stuffed with straw and animated by magic, while the Cowardly Lion is this silent, solemn creature who wears a permanent painted face and silver tiara, not because he was forced too, but because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is be yourself.
The Witches of Oz in this universe are each gifted a set of enchanted trappings (jewelled pistols, bullets, and matching spurs) Glinda reveals to Dorothy that the Ruby Bullets are capable of tearing open doorways between worlds when fired three times with clear intent, something that sets Dorothy off to lure the Wicked Witch back to Kansas (where she has no ability to use magic) and then Dorothy SHOOTS DOWN HER AUNT EMS WATER TOWER TO MELT THE WITCH AND STEAL HER ENCHANTED PISTOLS. that’s not even the craziest part, because now Dorothy has made history, holding the trappings of two Witches of Oz, Dorothy Gale is recognized as the WITCH OF THE EAST AND WEST, and continues throughout the story as the Mistress of the Winged Monkeys and an antihero/opposition to Glinda.
Also, even though the Wicked Witch of the West is said to be hundreds of years old due to dark magic, her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East, was FUCKING AMEILA EARNHARDT ?!?!!?! sweet Lurline I love this crazy ass comic
